take a flight to Zurich Airport
www.BAconnect.com , www.easyjet.com, www.KLM.com
then take the train - the cheapest and most pleasant choice - direct to Arosa.

You can print out the train itinery from www.sbb.ch . Thr train journey is from Zurich Flughafen (airport) to Arosa (changing at Zurich City and Chur). The cost will be 102 CHF return for adults. This can be purchased on arrival or on the web.
On the web-site, you will have the option to book seats, as well as to book the service where you check in bags at the UK airport and next see them at Arosa train station (this service is only available when booking on the web prior to your flight).

We do not cover the cost of your transport to Arosa, but will meet you at the Arosa station to collect your bags and walk you to the chalet. This is a lovely way to orientate you to Arosa and takes 5-10 minutes. Alternatively, the free resort bus goes door to door and takes 3 minutes.

Just text Helen on +41 (0) 798 333 608 when you leave Zurich City to Chur to say which train to Arosa you will be on - it will be 9 minutes past the hour from 6am to 11pm.
A return ticket is half price for 6-16 year olds and free for under 6 year olds.


The Swiss Transfer ticket costs 56 pounds return for adults from any Swiss Airport or any train station once you enter Switzerland.
http://timetable.sbb.ch

Take a train from London
Take the Eurostar at 7.09 am from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord - take a 10 minute walk to Paris Gare de l'Est. Hop on the Lyria TGV high speed (200 mph) train to Zurich and then change to the Intercity fast train to Chur, onto the mountain train to Arosa - arriving at 19.09.
Updated prices can be found at www.eurostar.com or www.bahn.de (Telephone Germany 0900 300 300)

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Located in a quiet residential area, Chalet Runca benefits from being pleasant walking routes (450 metres) to the main hub of lifts, shops and restaurants.

The bus stop is 20 metres from Chalet Runca and saves any walking to lifts.

Chalet Runca is central to your choice of lifts be it 5 minutes by bus upto Pratchli, 3 minutes to the cable car to the top of the Weisshorn and to the chair to the hub of mountain restaurants, mountain lifts and pistes, or 10 minutes to the chair for the Tchuggenhutte start of skiing, or 12 minutes to the gondola reaching the top of the Hornli mountain. Once on the mountain, all the lifts are accessible by skiing.

You can ski back to Chalet Runca

1) by continuing past the bottom of the Hornli gondola (or take the bus) - to reach Untersee bus stop - and you can take the bus or walk 100 metres

2) by skiing from Pratchli (or take the bus), through Maran, and down to the petrol station, walk 50 metres to the forest trail, leading to 50 metres from Chalet Runca's bus stop, named Wetterweide.

3) from the bottom of the Weisshornbahn, (take the bus or..)..walk past the Eden Hotel, put your skis on down the slope, down the short footpath beside the Altein bus stop and 50 metres from Chalet Runcas electric garage doors.

4) by skiing down the snow covered wide pavements to the church, through the woods to Untersee, and you can take the bus or walk 100 metres to Wetterweide bus-stop and you are home.


You are given the code to store your skis and utilise the boot warmers.

http://www.arosa.ch/img/i_lage/ortsplan.jpg

we are in grid square P8. second house on the right up from the bus stop.
There are a variety of walks from the chalet – all cleared and floodlit – 5-20 minutes walk – some provide horse and sleigh to the restaurant, and some you can take the bus up and sledge down at the end of the meal.







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Snowy Pockets provides breakfast of porridge, eggs, cereals, fresh bread, preserves, and afternoon tea with home made cakes, 3-course dinner at 8pm with free unlimited local wine. On Wednesday it is staff day off and no dinner is provided, nor can the kitchen stock/ cookers/ovens be used. Guests dine at a restaurant at their own expense.
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Yes, children age 12 or under can dine earlier, usually at 6-6.30pm. Parents help with the serving.

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This is not usual in winter as we employ a chef and housekeeper specifically to provide quality food for every meal and to keep . With such a large chalet, we employ a couple for the whole winter season, dedicated to keep the chalet at its best, for everyone to enjoy. This allows more time for our guests' to concentrate on other leisure and relaxation pursuits. What a proper holiday, not having to do any washing up, cleaning, or cooking, and moreover, being presented delicious dinner parties in the comfort of your own home!
Should self catering nonetheless be the preferred option, this is possible with a holiday price reduction of 100 CHF per person.

In summer, when there is the choice to eat out in the open with barbeques, we offer the main chalet on a Bed and Breakfast basis.

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For the safety and insurance purposes of the chalet, the kitchen is closed to guests staying in Chalet Runca, even on the chalet hosts' day off.

The dining room will be set up for you to use the kettle for hot drinks.
Lunch-times, afternoon tea and Wednesday's evening meal are to be enjoyed at one of Arosa's fine eating establishments.

Breakfast will be laid out for you, milk, juice and yogurts will be provided for you in the refrigerator, and fresh bread/pastries provided.
We just ask you to stack the dishwasher after breakfast, and when Antoni and Renata appear for their breakfast they will get it going.
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Yes, what suits many of our guests is our collection of bags and one or two passengers by 4x4, and the remainder of the party is escorted to the chalet by foot, so to be orientated with the shortest route from town to the chalet (400 metres), and be shown the toboggan area, shops and open air floodlit ice rink and indoor icerink along the way.
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From this winter, Eurostar leaves London St Pancra at 7.09 am (allow 30 minutes to check-in).
On arriving at Paris Gare du Nord, the easiest way to reach Gare de l'Est is to walk for 10 minutes. You find the Lyria TGV, which travels from Paris to Zurich at 200 mph. From Zurich, you take the Intercity to Chur - arriving at 17.58, then the mountain train to Arosa arrives at 19.09, in time for your welcome cocktail and canopes!

www.sbb.ch
www.eurostar.com
http://bahnhafas.de
www.bahn.de


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Directions to Chalet Runca by Road. You will receive pre-holiday information containing directions.

Tel: 0813565257
Portable: 0798333608


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You always have the choice of bus or skiing directly home, snow permitting - damage to the skis, due to skiing on the roads once grit has been laid, will be charged for .

You can ski back to Chalet Runca:-

1) by continuing past the bottom of the Hornli gondola (or take the bus) - to reach Untersee bus stop - and you can take the bus or walk 100 metres

2) by skiing from Pratchli (or take the bus), through Maran, and down to the petrol station, walk 50 metres to the forest trail, leading to 50 metres from Chalet Runca's bus stop, named Wetterweide.

3) from the bottom of the Weisshornbahn, (take the bus or..)..walk past the Eden Hotel, put your skis on down the slope, down the short footpath beside the Altein bus stop and 50 metres from Chalet Runcas electric garage doors.

4) by skiing down the snow covered wide pavements to the church, through the woods to Untersee, and you can take the bus or walk 100 metres to Wetterweide bus-stop and you are home.


You are given the code to store your skis and utilise the boot warmers.


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Yes, we offer a laundry service, payable at the end of your week in local currency - you provide us with a full load at breakfast and you will have it washed, dried and folded (not ironed) on your bed by the afternoon. You may use our iron on request from Renata, your chalet host.




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Snowy Pockets has an arrangement with a local 5 star Hotel, for their guests kinder (aged from zero - 6 years), to join their creche between 9 and 12, just let us or them know the day before.
In this case, the parents must supply a medical record plus a doctors letter to confirm their well-being.


Snowy Pockets can provide babysitting service at the local rates on Wednesday night.

The garden is ideal for making snowmen in, whilst the adults sit around with gluevine in the snow bar, around the log fire.

100 metres from the chalet is a bum-boarding/playground area for tots to teen agers.

The three official sledging routes are a great experience for toddlers and parents - leave time to do several runs before dinner!

Ice skating can be enjoyed near the chalet on the Obersee Ice rink (not the Obersee lake, but what is the astro turf in summer, opposite the Obersee Lake). Also, try the natural Ice rink in InnerArosa. These are open 10am-5pm, and offers skates which strap onto toddlers boots and zimmer frame to do that bambi impersonation - helmet and gloves are essential. Knee pads are desirable.





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We can babysit at the local rates on the Wednesday evening. This does not include the child's meal as the kitchen will be closed on Antoni and Renata's day off.
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The fresh air and stimulating environment tends to appeal to babies and toddlers however you will need to take extra precautions against the altitude, the sun and the temperature. During your journey up to Arosa, you will experience the effects of a considerable drop in air pressure, therefore we advice you to give young children a drink or something to suck to help them equalise the pressure in their ears. If you believe that your baby is experiencing abnormal discomfort, it is advisable to seek medical advice At any time when there is discomfort, descend, descend, descend.
Suncream rubbed in well to your childs skin half an hour before heading out into the sun will help any exposed portions.
Headwear shading from the sun is good although pale-coloured under side of baseball rims can reflect light and can cause blistering of the forehead.
Sunglasses and goggles are essential as the reflection of even the dullest light off the snow can cause very painful pins and needles in the eyes, a bloodshot appearance and ultimately snow blindness a temporary loss of sight and no more skiing for the rest of the holiday. (Sorry, the photo above is setting a very bad example for eye wear! You may have to be quite persistent to keep your toddler from removing eyewear the secret is to make them want to be cool, like you. Let him/her try and put them on him/herself first).

The cold is another danger for very small children, whose temperature regulation systems are not yet fully developed.
Waterproof boots, good quality mittens, head and ears protection are essential to protect from frostbite.
Do not take a baby skiing with you on your back because immobilised, he/she will quickly lose heat, and the risk of collisions or falls on the piste is always present.
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Most ski teachers wouldn’t recommend starting skiing before the age of four at the earliest. The right age will vary from child to child, and depends upon the child’s strength, co-ordination and attitude.

For this age group skiing should remain a play activity, so don't expect a young child to ski all day - a couple of hours is ample.
Remember children lose heat faster than adults so dress according to the weather conditions and make provision for it changing - hats, waterproofs and gloves are essentials. Helmets are highly recommended too.

Remember to protect your child's eyes and skin from the sun - not only are the infra-red and UV rays less filtered by the atmosphere at altitude, but 85% of the rays are reflected by the snow. Use category 3 or 4 UV sunglasses/goggles, and reapply SPF30 sun cream at least every two hours.

It's a good idea to have a contact phone number and address in your child's pocket in case you become separated on the mountain.
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In winter, Ski school for kids can be all day and is excellent www.sssa.ch.

Also, outside ice-skating, tobogganing, horse and sleigh rides, cinema, sunrise cable car, sun set cable car, night time ski party weekly

3-12 years!

Monday: kinovorstellung

Tuesday: kids disco 7pm-10pm

Wednesday: mountain laser show

Thursday: sledging en masse

Friday: try out snowboarding



Also, kinderfims, ludothek, chess

Disney menus on all mountain restaurants, including drinks, 10 CHF

Iglu playgrounds


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http://www.arosabergbahnen.com/webcams-w.html
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In Summer,absolutely free!!

Arosa ski area
CHF Senior (born 1934-1946)/ Adult (born 1947-1989)/Child (born 1990-1994)andBorn before 1933/ Child (born 1995-2001).
Afternoon:12.30 on 26 32
Arosa: 6 days - 233 259 173 86
Arosa: 7 days - 255 283 189 94
1 day ski safari extension to Tchiertchen and Lenzerheide – off piste 30
Beginners Pass: 1 day Tschuggen: 36 24 12
Beginners Pass: 6 day Tschuggen: 163 109 54
Beginners Pass: after 12.15 Tschuggen: 24 16 8
Beginners Pass: 1 day
Pratchli 15
Pedestrian: 6 day 97 108 72 36

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In chalet runca. We fit you up on arrival, ready to go.
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View www.sssa.ch to see how the Swiss Ski and Snowboard School of Arosa provide something for everyone.
Call +41 (0) 813787505, or email fun@arosa.ch to discuss your requirements. If you request Mike Onions, please email helen@snowypockets.com, to confirm days and times booked. Feel free to book one private and see how it goes, to see if you will benefit from having a few more in the week.

Price example is
Group lesson: 5/6 days (2 hours per morning) - adult, 245 CHF, child 230 CHF
Private lesson: 2 hours, 1-3 people, 140-170 CHF. 3 hrs, 210-240 CHF. All day, 380 CHF.
Kinder: 1 hour, parents watch, 20 CHF.
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We love the location - you have space in a close to centre location. We use the bus to get to the lifts in the morning and usually ski back as they leave a few cm snow on the roads/pavements for aesthetics.
Walking into town is lovely when you are not wearing ski boots - several options and easy and pretty with it.

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We are members of Arosa Tourism, the Swiss Travel Centre, and Gastrosuisse.
As we specialise in providing food and accommodation, Snowy Pockets remains independent from Travel bodies, such as ABTA and ATOL., further than providing information to make the travel arrangements hassle-free.


One of the key selling points of a package trip has always been that you know exactly where you stand – you pay a set fee with no extras or hidden costs. For thousands of holidaymakers this summer, that may no longer hold good.

charles Starmer-Smith, 14 May 2008, Telegraph.co.uk:-
Abta says that before tour operators impose any charges they must absorb rises equal to two per cent of the holiday price. Beyond this, they are free to impose fees equivalent to 10 per cent of the holiday, no questions asked. Only if a tour operator wants to add more than that will travellers even be offered the option of cancelling their trip and obtaining a refund.

The charges will not only compound the financial burden faced by British tourists heading to the euro-zone (who can already expect to pay 20 per cent more than last year for food, drink and local services), and encourage those yet to book to ensure they travel to non-euro countries (like Switzerland, with the Swiss Franc (CHF). It may also accelerate the decline of the package holiday.


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The FIS rules, if you don't know what they are, are 10 rules of conduct for the piste and should be followed by skiers and snowboarders alike. The basis of this code of conduct is respecting others and making sure that you are aware that this a potentially dangerous environment. Think of them as a kind of highway code for the mountain.

The 10 rules are:

1. Respect for others - A skier or snowboarder must behave in such a way that he does not endanger or prejudice others.

2. Control of speed and skiing or snowboarding - A skier or snowboarder must move in control. He must adapt his speed and manner of skiing or snowboarding to his personal ability and to the prevailing conditions of terrain, snow and weather as well as to the density of traffic.

3. Choice of route - A skier or snowboarder coming from behind must choose his route in such a way that he does not endanger skiers or snowboarders ahead.

4. Overtaking - A skier or snowboarder may overtake another skier or snowboarder to the right or to the left provided that he leaves enough space for the overtaken skier or snowboarder to make any voluntary or involuntary movement.

5. Entering, starting and moving upwards - A skier or snowboarder entering a marked run, starting again after stopping or moving upwards on the slopes must look up and down the slopes that he can do so without endangering himself or others.

6. Stopping on the piste - Unless absolutely necessary, a skier or snowboarder must avoid stopping on the piste in narrow places or where visibility is restricted. After a fall in such a place, a skier or snowboarder must move clear of the piste as soon as possible.

7. Climbing and descending on foot - A skier or snowboarder either climbing or descending on foot must keep to the side of the piste.

8. Respect for signs and markings - A skier or snowboarder must respect all signs and markings.

9. Assistance - At accidents, every skier or snowboarder is duty bound to assist.

10. Identification - Every skier or snowboarder and witness, whether a responsible party or not, must exchange names and addresses following an accident.

Whilst all skiers and snowboarders are aware of the buzz, the adrenaline and the excitement of going at speed downhill, respecting the rules will mean that you can enjoy yourselves without being a menace to others.

Being out of control is possibly one of the main causes of accidents so if you can't stay in control get lessons and learn how to adapt to conditions.

So whilst wearing a helmet is sensible, and there will always be accidents that can't be helped, making sure that you, and those that ski or board with you, observe the FIS rules, stay in control and generally have consideration for other mountain users, can help to avoid the accident in the first place!


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Is this Europe's loveliest airport transfer?
Posted by Chris Leadbeater, Travel Writer, TravelMail
Thanks to the cold, flaky events of the last two weeks, you're probably sick of the subject of snow, especially when it crops up in relation to travel. Closed runways, cancelled flights, buses stranded in deep drifts (if they even left the depot). And so on, ad nauseam.
However, if you'll indulge me for a minute, I recently encountered a happy flipside to the snow-travel relationship, a situation where vast piles of the white stuff actually improved the A-to-B experience rather than grabbing it by the wheels and forcing it to a weary halt.
Of course, it probably helped that this occurred in Switzerland, a country where they not only seem to have heard of snow, but have also formulated a plan to deal with it that doesn't involve flapping their arms, pointing at the ground in a desperate frenzied manner and shrieking 'What shall we do, oh lord, what shall we do?' in increasingly shrill voices.
The jaunt in question was quite a simple one, a train ride from the major metropolis of Zurich to the small ski resort of Arosa – which nestles in the south-eastern corner of Switzerland, where this most mountainous of nations begins to bleed into northern Italy. This adds up to a distance of little more than 100 miles, but the view from the carriage window is a scene of such distinct and varied beauty that the journey would be entirely worthwhile even if there wasn’t the prospect of perfect pistes and schapps-infused coffee at the end of it. In terms of airport transfers, this is as far as you can get from a stuffy coach braving the tarmac arteries of the Costa Del Sol en route to a dilapidated hotel.
Half of the appeal is that the rail line passes along the southern bank of Lake Zurich. It doesn’t have much choice. This is a long, crescent-shaped body of water that stretches out south and east for around 25 miles – and Zurich sits at its upper tip. Any train heading downward and diagonally from Zurich Hauptbahnhof towards the low right-hand portion of the country has to cleave to its shoreline – quite literally in those parts where the track appears intent on veering straight off the land and into the blue. (See the photo below. Apologies for the mild blurriness. This being Switzerland, the train was moving pretty fast. Nor does the fading light do justice to the dramatic vista – the rocky ridges plunging down to the lake's edge, the ripples on the surface, the odd boat bobbing in the distance.)

The second half of the journey, though, is the piece de resistance. To reach Arosa from Zurich, you have to change trains in Chur, a medium-sized town (and one of the oldest in Switzerland) whose chocolate-box look is complimented by the fact that, in the immediate vicinity of the station, arriving and departing trains run along the roads, rather like trams.
From here, a single track makes the ascent to Arosa, a climb of some 4,000ft (the resort sits at 5,823ft, Chur at a comparatively modest 1,946ft). It takes around 45 minutes, but I found myself hoping it would take a lot longer – not least when the snowline clicked into place, and everything turned pale and wintry. The line wanders upwards, switching back and forth on itself, as it passes isolated shepherd huts and barns locked down against the inclement weather, fir trees dusted with powder, tiny one-horse stops (the likes of Peist and Langwies – diminutive clusters of chalets where a surprising number of skiers jump aboard), the occasional dizzying drop to the valley far below. Even the train plays its part, its red livery standing stark against the pristine background (see above and below).
Eventually, the line ploughs through a last tunnel and arrives in Arosa, where the station waits in a prime spot, right at the bottom of the main ski lift and alongside another lake, the Obersee. It's a charming enough sight that you could forget you came to ski. Almost.


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George Onions
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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George Onions VC (born Bilston, Staffordshire March 2, 1883 - died April 2, 1944) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

He was 35 years old, and a Lance-Corporal in the 1st Battalion, The Devonshire Regiment, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 22 August 1918 south of Achiet-le-Petit, France, Lance-Corporal Onions, having been sent out with one man to get in touch with the battalion on the right flank (actually he may have just wandered off with his pal to have a ciggie!), saw the enemy advancing in large numbers. Seizing his opportunity, he boldly placed himself and his comrade on the flank of the advancing enemy and opened fire. When the enemy were about 100 yards from him the line wavered and some hands were thrown up, whereupon the lance-corporal rushed forward and helped by his comrade, took about 200 of the enemy prisoners and marched them back to his company commander.

He later achieved the rank of Major.

After the war, Onions served in the Auxiliary Division of the Royal Irish Constabulary.

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Military Museum of Devon and Dorset (Dorchester, Dorset, England).


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Ski Preparation

1. muscles of the lower back: on stomach, one hand on the other and if front. Lift the hands, head, and chest. Keep legs still. Hold position for 20 seconds and breathe normally. Repeat 2-3 times.
2. find your abdominals: lie on back, hands behind head, place feet against wall – calves horizontal, thighs vertical, forming a right-angle. Lift you chest and pivot shoulders right and left alternatively. At the same time peel feet from wall and lift the fessiers. 3 series of 20/30 repetitions.
3. strengthen the knees: on one foot, turn body as far right as possible before losing balance. Repeat 10 times.
4. Wark the quadriceps: back against the wall, legs bent, thighs horizontale. Hold the right leg in front of you and push down the left leg. Hold 20-30s breathing normally. Repeat twice on each side.

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Hans Schaeuble was born in Arosa on 31 May 1906 as the son of a chemist. He was already focused on music in his early years. After all, it was the occasion of the regular concerts of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande conducted by their chief conductor Ernest Ansermet – among others with works by Igor Strawinsky, Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel -, in the first instance that aroused his desire to dedicate himself totally to music as a conductor. In order to expand his knowledge and skills – so far he had mainly educated himself - and above all to position his acquired knowledge on a solid basis he took up his studies – as had so many Swiss people before him – at the Leipzig Conservatory in 1927, receiving composition lessons from the former Reger student and composer Hermann Grabner, and piano lessons from the pianist and piano teacher Carl Adolf Martienssen until 1931. Among his fellow students at that time were Hugo Distler and Wolfgang Fortner. First concerts at the Conservatory and on the radio gave hope for a musical career. In 1931 Schaeuble moved to Berlin, where he lived and worked until October 1942 – interrupted by a stay in Switzerland from 1939 until 1941. During these years many of his works were created, which were successfully performed in concert halls and on the radio. The composer seemed to have achieved his artistic breakthrough with the première of his Sinfonische Musik für großes Orchester (op. 22) (Symphonic Music for Large Orchestra) by the Berlin Philharmonic under the baton of Carl Schuricht in March 1939. This success was emphasised by the offer of the renowned Berlin music publisher Bote & Bock to publish several of Schaeuble’s works – among them Musik für Streichquartett (op. 19) (Music for String Quartet), recorded on this CD. After his return to Switzerland, where he continued to live in Zurich as a freelance composer, Schaeuble, however, experienced a sudden turn in this very promising development. His stay of several years in Berlin during the years of National Socialism aroused great disapproval among his fellow countrymen, and he was repeatedly subjected to unjust accusations of having been too “pro-German” and a “National Socialist”. Only few of his works found their way into the concert halls. Schaeuble never got rid of the thought that he had become victim of a conspiracy, which had been mainly responsible for his failures. He composed less and less in the following years and mainly restricted himself to repeated revisions of his earlier works. After his death in Zurich on 19 December 1988 – according to his wish – a foundation was established, which promotes young musicians and musicologists who study Schaeuble’s work.

Schaeuble left behind a varied range of work with contributions to vocal music, stage and instrumental music, which was mainly determined by his earlier examination of the compositions by Paul Hindemith, Igor Strawinsky, Béla Bartók and later also Frank Martin. Even if in his more recent works he occasionally used twelve-tone series in a linear sense as a construction principle (as e.g. in his piano concerto op. 34 from 1949), he remained committed to neo-classic formal principles with horizontal command of lines and differentiated melodic and rhythmic characteristics throughout his life. On the occasion of his String Quartet published in 1936 Schaeuble himself made the following explanatory notes in the announcement by Bote & Bock (“Internal information by the publishers, September 1937): “ The “Music for String Quartet” was created at the beginning of 1936, and was premièred by the Lutz-Quartett in Berlin in July of the same year. The piece itself consists of 5 parts and shows a completely free tonal connection to G major. A short measured introduction, which returns in the last movement, thus giving the piece its formal rounding, is followed by the second movement, a very gentle flowing part, interrupted by a few strong stresses. With a completely calm ending it is taken over by the third scherzo-like piece, which puts high demands on the executors in a rhythmic connection. The fourth movement follows as a core piece of the whole, which again is taken over by the final movement, similar to a baroque aria. A strong theme repeatedly dominates rondo-like after the two violins, concert-like, in between parts almost become independent. After a slightly calmer interim movement, there is a partial reprise, which itself, following a strong unisono, literally leads into the introduction to the whole piece. Once again the main theme appears forcefully, in order to then – hardly having started – ending in a calm G major.”

Meinrad Schütter, born in Chur on 21 September 1910, came in contact with the works of Othmar Schoecks, Arthur Honegger, Paul Hindemith and Igor Strawinsky in early years. He received his first music theory lessons from Antoine-Elisée Cherbuliez, prior to transferring to the Zurich Conservatory. With the help of a scholarship, Schütter spent the year 1939 in Rome, where he concerned himself intensively with the twelve-tone technique – especially under the influence of Luigi Dallapiccolas, who was working in Florence as a piano teacher. During the following war years, which the composer mainly spent on an air defence location in Prättigau and later on the San Bernadino, he took a correspondence course in composition with Willy Burkhard, who was taking a cure in Davos. From 1950 to 1954 he finally studied under Paul Hindemith at the Zurich University. For many years, Schütter earned a living as a ballet répétiteur and lighting assistant at the Zurich Opera, where he often had the opportunity to work on performances of the great contemporary works of the music theatre – thus e.g. Benjamin Brittens Peter Grimes or Arnold Schönbergs Moses and Aron (whose stage première took place in Zurich in June 1957). When Schütter died in Küsnacht on 12 January 2006, he left behind an extensive und varied œuvre, which equally includes orchestra compositions, ballet music, piano and chamber music, as well as choral works, operas and numerous songs with piano, ensemble or orchestra accompaniment. Even though at the end of the 1930s the composers Hermann Scherchen and Alexander Schaichet had discovered Schütter’s compositions and had primarily performed his orchestra work, the war years were most probably the reason for preventing a further spreading of his work, as well as a continuation of his early success. For some years now, however, Schütter’s name has been re-appearing more and more often at concert programmes at home and abroad. The string quartet composed in 1990 and revised in 1996 is, after the 1988 string quartet, titled Metamorphoses II, the second and also last piece of work with this instrumentation. As most of his works, the piece in four movements develops an individual tonal language, following no traditional form pattern through its free tonal, though undeniably influenced by twelve-tonal technique, fragmental way of composing with a special emphasis on colour and high motif density.

Erich Schmid, born in Balsthal in the canton of Solothurn on 1 January 1907, received his first music lessons between 1922 and 1926 at the Solothurn teachers’ seminar, in which the art subjects of literature and music had a relatively high standing. In addition, he was taught music theory by the composer Max Kaempfert, who was born in Berlin. The years 1924 and 1925 hold important musical impressions for the later work of the composer and conductor, such as a concert by the Basle Choir with the oratorio Le Laudi by Hermann Suter, who was best friends with Schmid’s father, as well as with Max Reger’s Hölderlin setting An die Hoffnung (op. 124). During the same concert Suter also conducted Arnold Schönberg’s choral piece Friede auf Erden about texts by Carl Ferdinand Meyer, which obviously made a very special impression on young Schmid: “This piece of work has had an indelible impression on me and has haunted me during the following days; it was the first encounter with Schönberg’s music”. Approximately one year later he witnessed the performance of two Swiss composers, whose work was felt to be quite avant-garde at the time, in the context of the Schweizerischen Tonkünstlerfestes (Swiss Composers Festival) in Bern with Arthur Honegger’s Pacific 231 and the ballet music for the opera Amarapura by Robert Blum. From 1927 on Schmid took lessons with Bernhard Sekles in composition, Fritz Malata in piano and Hermann Schmeidel in conducting at the Dr. Hoch’schen Konservatorium in Frankfurt am Main. Schmid had his first great success in November of the following year: with a string quartet movement and a song about a pre-set text by Christian Morgenstern he won the sought after Mozart-Prize of the City of Frankfurt – the panel of judges included: Joseph Haas, Emil Reznicek and Hermann Scherchen. During the years 1930 and 1931 the composer continued his studies with Arnold Schönberg in Berlin. Several times Schmid described this year as the most important for his further development Subsequently, he returned to Frankfurt and worked there as a freelancer for the broadcasting services. As a result of the political developments in Germany, Schmid was forced to return to Switzerland in 1933, where he initially worked as a music director in Glarus and from 1949 on conducted the Tonhalle Orchestrer in Zurich, as the successor of Volkmar Andreae. In 1957 he was appointed to the Radioorchester Beromünster as a chief conductor, which he conducted until 1972. At the same time, he was head of the conducting classes at the Basler Musikakademie for several years (1963 – 1973, and repeatedly performed as a guest conductor at home and abroad - especially in England, and there among others with the various BBC orchestras and the London Symphony Orchestra. Schmid was committed his whole life to contemporary music – e.g. the compositions by Arnold Schönberg, Bohuslav Martinus, Luigi Dallapiccolas, Ferruccio Busoni or Alban Berg – and he conducted numerous premières of works written by various Swiss composers such as Othmar Schoeck, Robert Blum, Rolf Liebermann or Wladimir Vogel. Schmid died in Zurich on 17 December 2000.

As a composer Schmid left behind a manageable œuvre with a total of only 16 pieces of work. Primarily composed in the late 1920s and 1930s and the majority handed down as manuscripts, his compositions are almost without exception committed to the technique of series. Next to Alfred Keller, who was also a student of Schönberg in Berlin, Wladimir Vogel, as well as at times also Frank Martin, Schmid is one of the few Swiss composers to consistently use the twelve-tone-technique in the 1930s and early 1940s. In all of his compositions the composer preferred small forms and chamber-musical orchestration. He only composed his third opus for orchestra. The string quartet op. 4 “in modo classico”, written during his studies with Schönberg in 1930/31 and revised again in 1934, which only includes three movements, is one of the first pieces of work, in which Schmid used a strict twelve-tone technique. It was introduced for the first time to an audience shortly after its creation – on Schönberg’s instructions several times and partly extensively revised – during the context of a concert at the Preussische Akademie der Künste (Prussian Academy of Arts) in Berlin, at the occasion of which some students from Schönberg’s composition master class presented their works. Both, the dense motif-thematic developments and the structures of movements, as well as the use of classical forms show Schönberg’s influence.

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Mike will be ideal for private instruction. I suggest you book him for skiing for the week for the adults (depending on fitness, mornings is usually sufficient for beginners, afternoons can then be free to rest or consolidate and practice what they have been taught). With private tuition, you can book the instructor the morning only, the afternoon only, both the morning and afternoon, or all day (where you would stay on the mountain, and the instructor reserves a mountain restaurant table and eats with you for lunch.

The children can join in on the Sunday as the beginners lesson for adults and children is similar – Mike is excellent here, well worth the Sunday private – then by Monday they will be able to stop, turn left and turn right. Children digest information differently to adults, and everyone learns differently, so we can see after Sunday whether the children will be happy to stay with the adults or join a few other children on the excellent childrens Junior Club set up. You can choose then if they will be up for all day or just mornings.
Five day courses start on Monday for children (This is where the Sunday private is well worth while as group beginner adult classes start Monday – there is, on the other hand, a six day group course for beginner children).
A Snowboarding taster session for 10 CHF is recommended at some point in the week.


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When you have your photo taken by the lift pass office, they offer ski insurance that is recognised immediately by the mountain rescue team, be you on piste, in a lesson, or off-piste. This is adequate for most situations, although if you are intending to go back country is is worth contributing to Rega - to ensure you get full medical treatment, helicopter service and recovery of equipment you would expect in an emergency.

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http://sssa.ch/PDFs_neu_06/preisliste0910.pdf
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http://www.axa.co.uk/travelinsurance/wintersports.html
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all good in Arosa and Chalet Runca
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Snowy Pockets is always on the look-out for outstanding, friendly, organised couples who are highly motivated, reliable and experienced in dinner party catering for 12 people, and in cleaning to an exceptional standard. Consistent high standards and hard graft are balanced by the beautiful surroundings, meeting friendly workers – seasonal and year round -– all working in a place they adore – Arosa – a haven for off-piste skiers: Resort level is at 1800 metres. The mountain bowl is the first point of call for the weather from the north, and has a vast mountain landscape untouched by lifts; Arosa has the best snow that the Alps have to offer.
To complete our five month season you need to be a hard-working, self-disciplined and motivated couple with the ability to be methodical and thorough, and outgoing enough to make the most of the fantastic social and sporting life offered in Arosa (those who speak German really benefit here). At Snowy Pockets our high levels of service is how we ensure previous Hotel customers are assured they made the right choice to try our catered chalet holiday. We are the only catered chalet in Arosa, amongst a plethora of Hotels and Apartments. You therefore need to at best have previous experience in the hospitality industry or at the very least be dedicated to client satisfaction, at all times committed to providing the very best holiday for our guests.
Our requirements are a minimum age of 21 years, British or European citizenship (includes non-Europeans with valid dual European nationality) and to be non smoking with a healthy active lifestyle.
Each team member receives a highly competitive monthly salary, board and lodgings, Arosa season ski pass with Carte Neige insurance, ski equipment hire for the season and travel and transfers to and from the UK at the beginning and end of the season.
If you would like to apply to work with Snowy Pockets please e-mail your CV and a recent photograph of yourself to Helen at email address:- info@snowypockets.com

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